This edition of Visio should meet the needs of most organizations. Visio Professional adds the ability to create specialized IT and engineering diagrams. It also allows linking diagrams to data sources and having more than one person work on a diagram at the same time.

Which Versions of This Software Are Available?

You can choose to download the current version or the previous version of this software. You can find out which version is the current one in the Microsoft Title Groups document. In addition, you can download the software in any language that's available.

Benefits for Organizations

You can use Visio to create flowcharts, organization charts, office layouts, and more.

Major Capabilities

Templates: Templates include shapes used for creating a particular type of diagram collected in groups called stencils. They can also include special tabs on the Ribbon and wizards to help get the diagram started. Visio includes templates for creating such things as:

Charts (organization charts, flowcharts, and marketing charts)

Project schedules (calendars, timelines, and Gantt charts)

Maps (directional and geographic)

Cause-and-effect diagrams

Block diagrams

Basic network diagrams

Basic office layouts

Themes and styles: You can add sets of colors, fonts, and effects to an entire diagram with a single mouse click. Each theme has several variants. In addition, you can also apply styles to individual shapes to make them stand out. Effects include such things as shadows and glows.

Cloud storage: The default location to save diagrams is the user's SkyDrive.

Important Volume Licensing Information

With Visio, organizations can choose between two types of volume license keys for product activation: a Key Management Service (KMS) license key or a Multiple Activation Key (MAK). Organizations will be provided with both types of keys on the Microsoft Volume Licensing website.

Microsoft recommends KMS activation only for organizations with at least 50 networked computers requiring activation for Visio or requiring activation for a combination of Visio, Office, and Project software. Organizations with fewer than 50 computers requiring activation or organizations with non-networked computers should activate their products using a MAK.

The license key allows you to install the product on as many computers as you have received licenses for. This quantity is specified in the email you receive from TechSoup after you request this product.

Expect two emails:

When your donation request has been approved, TechSoup will send a message to your organization email address. This email will confirm the number of licenses you have requested and provide information about how to use the VLSC once Microsoft accepts your license agreement. Make sure the organization email that is registered with TechSoup is up-to-date. Visit My Member Profile and verify the address in your active organization profile.

Microsoft will send an email welcoming your organization to the VLSC. This email will indicate that Microsoft has accepted your license agreement. After you receive this email, you'll be able to follow the steps in the first email you received from TechSoup to obtain your donation through the VLSC.

Software Assurance

Under the Software Assurance program, you have the right to install any new release of products covered in the agreement during the term of your coverage.

Rules, Eligibility and Restrictions

This donation is available to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) designation and to public libraries.

The Microsoft Donation Program serves nonprofit organizations whose mission benefits the local community. Among these organizations are the following types, which have recently had changes to their eligibility:

Health services and related activities that are independent and not owned and operated by organizations that are eligible for Microsoft Government, Academic, or Health programs. These include community health clinics, medical research groups, behavioral healthcare nonprofits, women's health centers, hospices, rescue and emergency services, organizations that support patients and their families, and blood banks.

Private grantmaking foundations that receive the majority of assets or income from an individual, family, or corporation.

Museums.

Religious or faith-based organizations.

Public libraries must either have valid 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or be listed in the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) database. Public libraries may request Microsoft software donations through this program only for use on public access computers or on computers that are used to directly manage either the public access computers or the library's public access program. Participating libraries must also make their collection and basic services available to the population of their legal service area without charges to individual users (excluding incidental fees such as printing charges). If they so choose, libraries may impose charges on users outside the legal service area and may provide products and services (beyond basic services) to the public at large, with or without individual charges.

Organizations that are not eligible: Not all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are eligible for participation in the Microsoft Donation Program. Those that are not eligible should visit Microsoft Volume Licensing for Industries for more information about charity licensing; they may still be eligible for discounted software from Microsoft. The following types of organizations are ineligible for Microsoft software donations:

Organizations that engage in discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training or services, promotion, termination, or retirement on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, political affiliation, union membership, or veteran status, other than as allowed by law, are not eligible to participate in this program.

Eligible organizations receive an allotment of Microsoft software donation requests that is reset every two years. An organization's two-year cycle begins with its first donation request after July 27, 2011. After two years, a new cycle begins, and a new allotment available. The organization does not need to request the full amount of its allotment. There is no limit to the number of separate requests the organization can make and no minimum quantity requirement.

During its two-year cycle, an organization can request products from up to 10 title groups. For title groups that contain applications that run on an individual computer (like a desktop or laptop PC), there is a 50-license maximum. For title groups that contain client access licenses or other licenses that provide for connection to or management of a server, there is also a 50-license maximum. For server products, there is a five-product maximum, regardless of title group. For further details, see Quantity and Frequency of Microsoft Requests on the Microsoft Donation Program — Eligibility and Allotments page.

Microsoft products may not be transferred between separate legal entities or resold. Additionally, Microsoft products may not be installed on computers that will be given to or sold to other organizations or individuals, even as part of a charitable program.

Donated product will be distributed under this program to qualifying organizations and libraries only, not to individuals.